[3RD POV]

Room of the most prestigious person in the academy. No one can enter here without her permission, and no one has the guts to enter knowing what's waiting inside. Of course, everyone respect the person who owns this room. 

No one will show disrespect here by entering, specially when she's not inside.

Except, of course, for them.

"Tsk! Ang boring! Bakit si Law at Scarlet lang nasa mission kasama si Helena?! Paano ako?!" Kunot noong sambit ng lalaking may lilang buhok, naglalaro ng bago niyang pinagsasayangan ng oras ngayon. Nails.

"Shut up, Zel." Inis na sambit ng babaeng kasama niya, na parehong nakakaramdam ng inis at pagtampo dahil hindi rin siya sinama. Sa kabila ng pagiging sekritarya ng principal, hindi hamak na isa pa rin siyang estudyante.

Parehong casual na nakaupo si Zeldrick at August sa sofa sa loob ng principal's office. Ginawa nila itong tambayan kahit mayroon silang sariling guild.

"Yosh!" Napatayo ang lalaking nakaupo sa solo sofa at nakapatong pa ang paa sa lamesa. Ngumisi ito nang may naisip. "I've decided! We're going to follow-"

"No." Pagputol ng babaeng ngumunguya, sinusubuan din ng pagkain ang alagang puting pusa. "You can't do that Gin, Principal will get mad." 

"But Lemon-"

"Nope."

Ang lalaking magsasalita sana ay hindi na tinuloy ang balak sabihin. Gin pouted like a child, crossed his arms.

Sa lahat, siya ang pinaka-nakakaramdam ng tampo. Siya ang laging kasa-kasama ng babaeng tinuturing niyang ina. Pero sa unang pagkakataon, pinili siyang panataliin sa paaralan at maiwan.

"You know that the academy needs you." Walang ganang sambit ng isa pang lalaki na nakatutok ang mga mata sa video game niyang nilalaro. Magkatabi sila ni Lemon na sinusubuan din siya ng kinakain na cake kada minuto.

Elroy's about to vomit any minute now, but he kept eating the cake that Lemon gives him.

"Kapag wala kayong tatlo nina Principal Helena, Law, at ikaw, pwedeng mapahamak ang academy." Muling sambit niya para kahit pa paano ay mapagaan ang pakiramdam ng lalaking mas matanda sa kaniya pero bata kung mag-isip.

"I know..." Gin said. "But still...." He pouted again.

Napairap si Lemon, bumuntong-hininga si Elroy, ngumiwi si August, at tumawa si Zeldrick. Kasabay ng pagtawa ni Zeldrick ay ang biglaang pagtunog ng telepono sa loob ng opisina.

Palingon pa lang sila sa direksyon nito nang mabilis na tumayo si Gin papunta rito.

"It's them! It's them!" Masigla niya itong kinuha at sinagot.

He had high expectations and has a wide smile but it faded in an instant. Madaling nakita ng iba ang mabilis na pagbago ng ekspresyon ni Gin nang marinig ang boses sa kabilang linya.

"What do you want?" May tonong tanong niya. It only means that it's a hundred percent sure, that Principal Helena isn't the person he's talking to.

Gin's forehead furrowed. "What the fuck?"

Seryoso siyang tinitignan ng mga kasama niya sa silid habang nakikipag-usap sa taong nasa kabilang linya.

"Where is our principal?!" His heart started beating fast. 

Naging alerto sina Zeldrick nang tumaas ang tono ng boses ni Gin.

"Answer me first, fucker! Where is principal Helena!-"

"She's here with us."

Tila nawalan ng tinik sa lalamunan si Gin nang marinig ang sagot sa kabilang linya. Nakahinga siya nang maluwag at umayos ang tono ng pananalita niya.

"Got it." Seryoso niyang sambit bago ibaba ang telepono. Pagkababa niya rito ay dumeretso kaagad siya sa pinto. "We're going."

"S-Sino 'yon?" Nag-aalalang sambit ni August.

Hindi sila tinapunan ng tingin ni Gin at dumeretso ito sa paglalakad. "I'll tell you on the way."

"Are we going to the Solar?" Marahang tanong ni Lemon.

Gin stopped walking, and faced his guild members. "Yes. Pero kayo muna..." Sagot niya na nagpakunot ng noo ng mga kasama niya. 

"Huh?"

Muling humarap sa daanan si Gin at naglakad.

"I'll meet you there, go check on Law, Scarlet, and the Principal."

"I need to go somewhere first."

₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪

In a place where everything is white, the temperature is negative, nothing to see in a kilometer, a place where only a few people lives... one is casually walking in the middle of the snow.

Right hand on his pocket, wearing a suit that doesn't have a single snow on it. Sa kabila ng malamig na temperatura at paghamapas ng hangin, walang senyales na nakararamdam siya ng lamig. Sa kapal ng hamog ay hindi makita-kita ang nasa paligid niya.

Kada tapak niya sa yelo ay bumabakat pero walang dumi o nyebeng dumidikit sa dulo ng sapatos niya.

A guy who's probably a 6 footer, crimson red hair, shoulder length that's in braid. An earring on his left cartilage. He has malicious look, eyes that's red in the right and dark brown in the left. Has dark visible circles under his eyes. Left hand holding a cigarette.

He's smoking in the middle of the snow— in the middle of nowhere.

He stopped walking when he felt something is vibrating inside his pockets. He glanced at it before smoking again. Hand inside his pockets, he took his phone, showing his right arm that has a skeleton tattoo up to fingers.

He answered his phone, but didn't said a word.

"I-Is this..."

"The judge?"

Muling humampas ang hangin, unti-unting nawawala ang makapal na hamog.

"W-W-W-We need you to come back now... uhm... please?"

There was a sudden silence, before he started laughing. Alam niyang ang taong nasa kabilang linya, ay nakararamdam ng takot at pagtataka sa biglaan niyang pagtawa.

"Why?"

"I-It's the academy's order-"

"After they cast me out?"

Natahimik ang taong nasa kabilang linya. Muling humithit ng sigarilyo ang lalaki.

"Tell them..." He intentionally paused. "To fuck off."

"B-But-"

"Alis! Ako ang kakausap!"

Natigilan ang lalaki nang makarinig ng pagsigaw sa kabilang linya. May umagaw ng telopono mula sa taong kausap niya. Boses ng isang babae...

"You! Come back, now!" Ma-awtoridad na sambit ng babae sa kabilang linya.

He was taken aback, hearing her voice. Before laughing once again.

"Y-You! You're laughing at me?!" 

He tried to stop himself from laughing but failed. "Nope."

"You asshole! You're laughing at me!"

"I said, I'm not laughing at you... it's just that." He flashed a cunning smile, as if the person he's talking to can see him.

"I missed you, sister."

Natigilan ang babaeng nasa kabilang linya. Nasa academy siya ngayon at kinuha ang telopono mula sa isang estudyante. Pinapakita niya ngayon ang isang parte niya na hindi dapat ipakita.

After all, she should act nice and calm always. That's how a teacher should act.

That's how she, Xilah Portugal, should act.

"Tsk, we haven't talked for a long time and you're laughing at your sister."

"Oh come on, we haven't talked for a long time and you're shouting at your younger brother." Muli siyang humitmit ng sigarilyo, hindi mawala ang ngiti habang kausap ang nakatatanda at nag-iisang kapatid.

"So? Why do you need me?"

"The academy needs you... come back."

"What if I don't?" Pang-aasar na sagot niya.

"You need to come back." Xilah answered in a serious tone.

"You have a role, a title... you have to take responsibility for it."

"Cross Portugal, the Judge."

Muling humampas ang hangin, tuluyang nawala ang mga hamog na nakapalibot sa paligid.

"Hmmm... fine."

"But know that I'm not coming for them. I'm coming just for you, for my family."

"Tsk, yeah, yeah. Just go here ASAP. Nasaan ka ba?"

Napalingon si Cross sa paligid nang itanong 'yon ng ate niya.

"I don't know. It's cold." Maikling sagot niya.

Tila parang ang mga nyebe lang ang nakikita niya, sa kabila ng ibang bagay— taong nakalubog dito. As soon as the fog was completely gone, Cross' surroundings became visible.

Around him, are dozens of gifteds... buried in the snow. All of them... has a spade symbol all over their body.

"Paanong hindi mo alam?!" Inis na tanong ni Xilah.

Sa lahat ng taong nakalibing sa nyebe, may isa pang may buhay at naghihingalong gumagapang papalapit sa pwesto ni Cross. 

He's huge, definitely bigger than the judge. A body like a shield. But he's in the ground right now, crawling. He has a spade tattoo on his arm. Mabigat ang paghinga niya habang pilit na lumalapit kay Cross.

Gamit ang nanghihinang kamay, hinawakan niya 'to sa paa. Dahilan ng pagtingin sa kaniya ng binata.

"Basta. Babalik ako." Sambit ni Cross sa telepono habang tinitignan ang lalaking gumagapang.

Inalis niya ang paa niya sa pagkakahawak nito at inapakan ang kamay ng malaking lalaki. "M-Monster..." Nahihirapang sambit nito.

"What are you doing? Don't tell me you're smoking!-"

"No, I'm not."

"You told me you'll stop smoking years ago!"

"I already did."

Muling humitmit si Cross sa sigarilyo bago ito itapon sa mukha ng lalaking gumagapang.

"Cross! I also told you to stop lying!-"

"I'm not lying to you, sis." Walang gana niyang sambit.

Dahan-dahan siyang umupo nang magtapat ang tingin nila ng lalaki. Cross showed a grin, making the man in front of him shiver in fear.

"I know you miss me, but I have to go now."

Unti-unti niyang tinutok ang kamay niya sa lalaking walang tigil sa panginginig. Slowly, his eyes changed.

In the middle of the snow, as soon as the fog disappeared, the white ground became red. Just on his own, in a place with a negative temperature, Cross— the Judge, wiped an entire group of Dieners. He killed the Spade and his troops, without a sweat.

He flashed a grin. "I might be late, but wait for me, sister."

"I'll come back soon."

CHAPTER 12
The Calling 2/2: The Judge